1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the continuous treatment of a thin band of wares made of paper, textile, synthetic material or metal through pressure produced by a magnetic force exerted by means of pressure bodies perpendicularly to the band, or path of travel of the band, whereby the band of wares is guided over a straight or arcuate supporting surface and the pressure bodies extend over the width of the band of wares.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The German Pat. No. 1,164,122 discloses an apparatus for producing a pressing effect on band-shaped materials, for example, textiles, whereby the material to be treated moves between the operating parts exerting a pressure against one another, which pressure is developed by means of a magnetic field penetrating the material, of which operating parts, at least one is constructed as a rotary roller on which the material is rolled. In this connection, at least one of the operating parts for exerting pressure is magnetic, or contains a magnet, whereby the roller is to exert a uniformly acting pressure on a material along a sleeve line.
The German published application No. 1,813,197 furthermore discloses an apparatus operating with magnetic pressure for applying pressure in the treatment of band-shaped materials in which both of the ferrite magnetic structural parts are disposed in the form of rollers, so that they move mutually in such a direction that the width of the gap therebetween is alterable. In order to be able to vary the magnetic force with which the pressure bodies become effective on the band of wares, over the width of the band, adjacently disposed individual magnets may be used, each of which magnets produces a magnetic field that is different from that of adjacent magnets.
A disadvantage connected with these known apparatus is that upon utilization of rollers as pressure bodies for bands uneven in the transverse direction of the band, uniform pressure treatment is not possible in the transverse direction. There takes place a lifting of the roller shaped pressure body from sections of the band of wares, when unevenness, for example, a reinforcement of the band of wares, such as a knubbing, a bump or swelling, or the like passes through the gap between the roller-shaped pressure body and the support, be the support a roller or a planar support, etc. The reinforcements of adjacent sections of the band of wares remain untreated. In addition, sagging or deflection of the rollers must be taken into account.
It should be understood that hereinbelow the band of wares is simply termed a "web", whether the same is paper, textile, synthetic material, metal or any other band of material and that any irregularity in the surface to be treated, such as knubbing, bumps, swelling, seams and the like are collectively termed as an "unevenness."